Initiative

An initiative is an issue placed on the ballot to become law if a majority of the voters approve it.

It is similar to a referendum, except that a referendum often involves the legislature while an initiative can completely bypass, and override, the legislature.

27 states, mostly in the South and West, allow initiatives or referenda, and most of those states allow both.[1] All states allow some form of the legislative referendum process, whereby the legislature can place an issue on the ballot.